Two chaperones accused of deriding students as “sluts and whores” for dancing too closely at the Manitou Springs prom last April only wanted to “keep kids safe,” they said in an apology letter to The Gazette.
Hannah Rockey and Jennifer Farmer agreed to apologize and make a cash donation to the Manitou Springs High School prom fund under a mediation agreement that resulted in the dismissal of misdemeanor harassment charges against them.
“We truly regret that the evening was less enjoyable than you hoped for,” the pair said in a statement addressed to attendees of the city’s prom dance, held April 21 at Manitou Springs City Hall. The statement was emailed to The Gazette on Saturday by attorney Josh McDowell. “Our intention was to keep kids safe while ensuring that they had a good time, and we failed some students in that regard.”
The women, both 42, were accused of hurling epithets and spraying a cleaning substance of some kind – they claim it was Febreze – to discourage dirty dancing.
The pair told police children were simulating sex acts on the dance floor. Eight students said they were left choking and battling teary eyes after getting hit with a chemical spray during the encounter.
The amount of the cash donation wasn’t made public.
Here’s the full text of the mandatory apology.
“To those attendees of the 2012 Manitou Springs High School prom who were offended by our actions and statements, we would like to extend a sincere apology. We take full responsibility for the actions and language that led to feelings of harm of those attending. We truly regret that the evening was less enjoyable than you hoped for. Our intention was to keep kids safe while ensuring that they had a good time, and we failed some students in that regard. For this we extend our heartfelt apologies.”
Last I heard, these women were denying everything, werent they? That wasnt much of an apology, and I feel sorry or their kids, having these stupid women for mothers. Spraying other people’s children with any substance is a good way to get yourself in trouble. I hope they are banned from all future school events.
Next I’d like to see apologies from these students for lying, their parents for pulling strings to get this incident turned into a criminal charge, and from the police for charging people when a discussion is more appropriate.
Oh yeah, and also from the school for failing to have a policy for high school dances, for failing to chaperone for years, and for using the chaperones as scape-goats.
Seriously, most parents have no idea that this school has been telling them that the dances were chaperoned when the whole time the chaperones were looking in the other direction – with the school leadership actually in the parking lot and not even watching the dance.
[...] evening was less enjoyable than you hoped for.” The full text of the apology is available on the Gazette. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like [...]
[...] Farmer and Rockey’s apology, emailed to the Colorado Springs Gazette by their attorney August 6, states: “We truly regret that the evening was less enjoyable than you hoped for.” The full text of the apology is available on the Gazette. [...]